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Duterte to US aid agency: Eat your money!


President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday said the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) can "eat its money," saying the Philippines can survive without funds from the United States aid agency.

"Kainin na ninyo yang dollar ninyo! Letse kayo!," Duterte said during a media interview after his visit to wounded soldiers at the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) headquarters in Zamboanga City.

The President's pronouncement was in reaction to the MCC Board's announcement that it has “deferred” a vote on the reselection of the Philippines for compact development, “subject to a further review of concerns around rule of law and civil liberties.”

"If you think that we are not a behaved civilized people, then go out of the Philippines. We don't need you, we don't need the aid, we will survive," Duterte said, noting that China is offering a $50-billion aid.

Abrogation of VFA

Duterte also reiterated his earlier pronouncement that he will repeal the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippinas and the US.

"Yes, if that is how discourteous they are. I don't want to have dealings with you. Pini-picture n'yo kami na patay-gutom, sige umalis kayo! Visiting Forces Agreement, what? Tinuturuan nila 'yung mga sundalong Pilipino? Mas mahusay pa, we are 10 times better than them," he said, adding that the US troops are actually "losers."

Asked what will happen to a US facility within the Wesmincom headquarters once the VFA is abrogated, the President said the AFP should not worry.

"I will get the money, the AFP should not worry. I will produce the money to build the thing (facility) and much more," Duterte said. —ALG, GMA News

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